Mustachio'd Filmstars
This summer marked 20 years of Dr. Susan Allen's research on HIV/AIDS in Africa. The first 8 years were spent exclusively in Kigali, Rwanda. Known as Projet San Francisco, the site offered Voluntary Testing and Counseling similar to what is offered today in Lusaka. In 1994, the genocide in Rwanda forced the project to close and shortly after Susan relocated the project to Lusaka, Zambia (where we are sitting today). As things grew more peaceful in Rwanda, the site was reopened in Kigali and since then two more sites opened in Kitwe and Ndola Zambia.
The events of the Rwandan genocide were revisited often and unavoidably during this anniversary. The genocide was a real event in this part of the world. I don't mean to be flippant but reading about the events in a newspaper (which I hardly did in the states) is much different than reading it on the faces of those that lived it. We met a genocide survivor that was saved by the man that was ordered to take his life. There are so many different layers to the story that I don't have the time or knowledge to write about here. Put as simply as possible -an estimated 800,000 Rwandans were killed in just 100 days. If you're interested in reading more, please consider this book.
For the Rwandan staff, there was a ceremony that celebrated the past 20 years. As part of that ceremony, the staff was presented a plaque to commemorate the (approximately) 20 staff members that that never came back to work. Some were confirmed victims of the genocide. For those whom no word was heard, they hopefully found refuge in a safer place. There are many stories of Rwandans finding friends and relatives years later. There are many more of those still waiting.
As part of the annivesary, a documentary film was made about ZEHRP and its role in bringing justice to genocide perpatrators. (Again, I feel bad for not giving this the space it needs and deserves...but maybe you will see the film someday) After the genocide, an international tribunal was formed to track down the senior level genocide perpetrators. Zambia was the first, and one of the only countries, to bring culprits to justice. One of the 3 arrested by Zambian police came to ZEHRP looking for work and claimed to be a genocide refugee. After being refused work, primarily because he was drunk, he continued to call the site and harass the staff. The harassment turned into death threats on Susan and Rwandan tutsis at the project. The individual was later arrested and charged for his leadership role in the genocide.
Eric Kabera is the director of the documentary film about ZEHRP, Zambia, and the Rwandan Genocide (I don't know what the actual name is yet). He made two films about the genocide previously. "100 Days" is a docu-drama which follows 2 families through the events. The other is "Keepers of Memory". a documentary focused on the incredible and painful stories of survivors. As he filmed on site, he needed two individuals with acting experience. This is where the Mustachio'd Filmstars come into play (I feel like this post deserved a better name, but coulddn't come up with anything). Winster, one of our project drivers, played the role of Jean-Paul Akayesu, the genocide perpetrator looking for work at the project. Obviously drunk, he is turned away by the mustache wearing muzungu at the project, me. My only line -"A job? You're obvioulsy drunk... Please go."- probably won't be heard but will be the black and white (no pun intended) reenactment of the story as it is told. We'll see how it turns out.
Me and Winster. He assures me that my mustache looks good.
Michelle and Film Director Eric Kabera. He assured Michelle that my acting was quite good. She didn't get to see it for herself. Closed set and all.
The events of the Rwandan genocide were revisited often and unavoidably during this anniversary. The genocide was a real event in this part of the world. I don't mean to be flippant but reading about the events in a newspaper (which I hardly did in the states) is much different than reading it on the faces of those that lived it. We met a genocide survivor that was saved by the man that was ordered to take his life. There are so many different layers to the story that I don't have the time or knowledge to write about here. Put as simply as possible -an estimated 800,000 Rwandans were killed in just 100 days. If you're interested in reading more, please consider this book.
For the Rwandan staff, there was a ceremony that celebrated the past 20 years. As part of that ceremony, the staff was presented a plaque to commemorate the (approximately) 20 staff members that that never came back to work. Some were confirmed victims of the genocide. For those whom no word was heard, they hopefully found refuge in a safer place. There are many stories of Rwandans finding friends and relatives years later. There are many more of those still waiting.
As part of the annivesary, a documentary film was made about ZEHRP and its role in bringing justice to genocide perpatrators. (Again, I feel bad for not giving this the space it needs and deserves...but maybe you will see the film someday) After the genocide, an international tribunal was formed to track down the senior level genocide perpetrators. Zambia was the first, and one of the only countries, to bring culprits to justice. One of the 3 arrested by Zambian police came to ZEHRP looking for work and claimed to be a genocide refugee. After being refused work, primarily because he was drunk, he continued to call the site and harass the staff. The harassment turned into death threats on Susan and Rwandan tutsis at the project. The individual was later arrested and charged for his leadership role in the genocide.
Eric Kabera is the director of the documentary film about ZEHRP, Zambia, and the Rwandan Genocide (I don't know what the actual name is yet). He made two films about the genocide previously. "100 Days" is a docu-drama which follows 2 families through the events. The other is "Keepers of Memory". a documentary focused on the incredible and painful stories of survivors. As he filmed on site, he needed two individuals with acting experience. This is where the Mustachio'd Filmstars come into play (I feel like this post deserved a better name, but coulddn't come up with anything). Winster, one of our project drivers, played the role of Jean-Paul Akayesu, the genocide perpetrator looking for work at the project. Obviously drunk, he is turned away by the mustache wearing muzungu at the project, me. My only line -"A job? You're obvioulsy drunk... Please go."- probably won't be heard but will be the black and white (no pun intended) reenactment of the story as it is told. We'll see how it turns out.
Me and Winster. He assures me that my mustache looks good.
Michelle and Film Director Eric Kabera. He assured Michelle that my acting was quite good. She didn't get to see it for herself. Closed set and all.
posted by Michelle and Bob - Zambia @ 4:39 PM
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